The Importance of Being Earnest - 800 Words

Oscar Wilde, the writer of The Importance of Being Earnest, celebrated the Victorian Era society while criticizing it in his play. Through his play, he utilized the humorous literary techniques of pun, irony, and satire to comment on the impact of Victorian Era society left on the characters themselves. These comedic literary devices also help to show how the members of this society in the Victorian Era live by a set of unspoken rules that determine politeness, as well as proper etiquette to live by. Wilde uses a pun in the title of the work, as well as in the character personalities. Different types of irony appear in many scenes in the play, to flout the rules of society, as well as mock the intelligence of the upper-class characters,†¦show more content†¦The play on the wording suggests that through the name, the man will also exhibit that trait, and show a sincere conviction to their family as well as their work. The men they fall in love with are earnest; however, they stick to their deceit with a more since conviction than their honesty. Jack and Algernon both persist with their story, that they are both named Earnest, in order to win the love of their respective sweethearts, even though their real names are very different. Additionally, each male is ready to undergo a christening to make their name Earnest. In Act II, the girls discuss their future plans, as socialites and the gentry girls who called on other elite families would in Victorian society. However, they find that they are both engaged to a man named Earnest Worthington. This is situational irony as everyone else knows that these men are not named Earnest, but these girls do not. When the girls find out that Jack and Algernon are prepared to get christened, thus making their names Earnest officially, they employ verbal irony. Where questions of self-sacrifice are concerned, men are infinitely beyond us. (pg. 75) Gwendolen comments on the irony of this sentence as women are supposed to be the self-sacrificing gender during this time period, but the men are willing to sacrifice their given name to make the girls happy. Both forms of irony show the facade of politeness that people who loved in theShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Being Earnest759 Words   |  4 PagesThe Importance doesn’t Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde i s a satire, comedy play of the Victorian Age. The Importance of Being Earnest follows two main characters, Earnest and Algernon, who live double lives. During his play Wilde makes fun of some of the standards and the way of life during that time. One of the common traits of the time was deception. Wilde’s play has a common occurrence of deception through the play’s plot line, trivial lies, and a character’s point of view on deception. Wilde’sRead MoreThe Importance Of Being Earnest1041 Words   |  5 PagesFeminist Perspective As seen in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, men and women live in a society of inequality between the two sexes as conveyed through double standards. For instance, there is a double standard regarding men and women flirting as seen when Algernon says â€Å"She will place me next to Mary Farquhar, who always flirts with her own husband across the dinner-table. That is not very pleasant.† While women are shamed for talking to men whom they are married to, men such asRead MoreThe Importance of Being Earnest 526 Words   |  2 Pages In the Importance of Being Earnest, dramatic irony is throughout the play which leads to many humorous events. Dramatic irony is a type of irony where the audience fully understands the situation while the character is unaware of it. The lack of knowledge the character has about their situation is amusing in the play. First example of dramatic irony that turns into humor is when Jack confesses his love to Gwendolen and she also feels the same way but for a different reason than his. She saysRead MoreThe Importance of Being Earnest1284 Words   |  6 PagesIn this Lady bracknell shows no sympathy for Mr.Bunbury and does not exhibit pity for him as he is less privileged then status. It is befitting that how cursory is Victorian values. BUNBARING AS A CENTRAL THEME :- Marriage:- It is of principle importance in the story both as a chief plot and also a topic of debate. The issue of marriage came for the first time when Algernon asks Lane† Is marriage so demoralizing as that ? â€Å"(Pg 7). 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Throughout the play, Wilde uses a mix of social drama, melodrama and farce to appeal to the audience. Through his gentle use of parody Wilde is able to ridicule his con temporaries and attack the values and attitudes of Victorian societyRead MoreThe Importance of Being Earnest Essay1439 Words   |  6 PagesA Trivial Comedy for Serious People Oscar Wilde mocked his audience while he entertained them. Perhaps his most loved and well-known work, The Importance of Being Earnest, satirises the manners and affections of the upper-class Victorian society. Satire is a literary tone used to ridicule or make fun of human vice or weakness, usually with the intent of changing or correcting the subject of the satirical attack. The play focuses on the elite, while making fun of the ludicrousness and extremity